Method of making double belts



June 21, 1-932. w. s. GRIFFITH METHOD OF MAKING DOUBLE BELTS OriginalFiled Feb. 1. 1927 khzzw" Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE,

WINFRED-S. GRIFIEITH, F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A SSIGNOR TO GRA'ION &

NIGHT COMRANY, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA-CHUSE'I'IS mnrnon or MAKING DOUBLE BEL'rs Application filed February 1,1927, Serial No. 165,215. Renewed November 6, 1981.

This invention relates to the manufacture of double belts and moreparticularly to the manufacture of double leather belts from two singleplies or layers of leather.

It is the general object of my invention to provide a method ofmanufacture by which a multi-ply belt may be produced in a continuousoperation. is to provide a method of manufactureby which a plurality ofsingle layers of belt material maybe secured together under tension 1 byvirtue of cellulose cementing material. -A

still further object of the inventionis to introduce a cellulosematerial between the assembled layers in the form of a continuous stripof uniform thickness.

The details of my improved method will be hereinafter described withreference to the illustrative drawing, and will be more fully set forthin the appended claims. In

the drawing, I have shown one form of machine by which my improvedmethod may be carried out.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section,

of the head or cementing end of a machine adapted for the carrying outof my improved method; andi Fig. 2 is-a similar view ofthe pressing andWinding portion of the machine, (Fig. 2 being a continuation-of Fig. 1at the right hand end thereof). j

' Referring to the drawing, I have indicated, more or lessdiagrammatically, a machine in which two single-ply belt layers B and Bare supplied from rolls R and R, rotatably mounted on fixed stands 10and 11.

Any suitable meansis provided for apply- .ing friction to the beltlayers B and B, and they are indicated in the drawing as being tensionedor retarded by ropes 12, passing 'over and wound around the axles of therolls A further object guide roll 15 and between a pair of rolls 16,

which may be adjusted toward and from each other to apply additionaltension to the downward along side a plate or table 18 to a lower guideroll 19.

The lower belt layer B passes between tension rollers 20, adjustabletoward and from each other in the same way as the rollers 16, and thenpasses upward over an inclined I apron 21 tov a point adjacent theguideroll 19 previously described.

A strip S of celluloid is drawn from a roll 22 rotatably mounted infixed bearings and preferably provided with a device for applyinglimited tension thereto. In the drawing, I have shown a rope or strap 23resting on the roll 22. and drawn downward by a small weight 24;.

The celluloid strip S passes downward into a tank-'25 containing asolution adapted to soften the celluloid as the strip S is drawntherethrough. The strip is guided through the solution by guide rods 26and 27 which cause the strip S to be submerged in the solution.

The moistened strip is delivered between the belt layers B and Badjacent the guide roll 19 and the three strips of material'hre drawnforward between a series of presser and tension rolls, by which theseveral layers are caused to firmly adhere to each other.

Preferably these rolls comprise successive pairs of semipositive tensionrolls 30 and 31, one roll of each pair,'as 30, being :positivelyrotated, to turn.

Each-roll 30 is preferably a metal surfaced while the dther roll is freeroll, while each roll 31 is preferably coveredwith rubberor othersimilar material.

Between the pairs of tension rolls, the assembledbelt passes through aseries of idle presser rolls 33 and 34,- the rolls 33 rotating in fixedbearings andthe rolls 34 beingfree- .ly movable verticail'y, and bothsets of rolls being freely rotatable.

The several driven rolls 30 are'simultaneously rotated in someconvenient manner, as by a worm shaft 36 having worms 37 each ing. Abelt cemented under tension is less by a worm 37 and worm wheel 38 aspreviously described. The roll 41 is geared directly to the roll 40 andis positively rotated thereby.

The belt is thus under tensionall the time from a point prior to thecementing operation until it passes the positively driven rolls 40 and41. During this time rolling pressure is repeatedly applied thereto bythe semi-positive tensions rolls 30 and 31 and by the idle presser rolls33 and 34.

After passing the rolls 40 and 41, the belt is drawn under one or moreedge-pressing devices, in each of which a series of narrow rolls 45 areyieldingly mounted upon springpressed bearing members 46 and engage theedges of the belt as it is drawn thereunder, a separate series of rolls45 being provided for each edge of the belt.

After passing under the edge pressing rolls 45, the belt is drawn over atable 50, which maybe of any desired length to permit the cement tofirmly set before the belt is wound up on the drum 51, which preferablyhas a friction connection to a gear 52 which is rotated from a wormshaft 53 positively connected for operation in conjunction with the wormshaft 36, previously described.

Any suitable driving mechanism may be provided for rotating the wormshafts, and the gear 52 is preferably rotated at such speed that it willalways exert a frictional drag or pull upon the drumfil, thus placingadditional tension upon the belt after it passes the positive tensionrolls 40 and 41. This drag or pull upon the belt causes it to be woundtightly on thedrum, and each additional layer exerts substantialpressure upon the belt layers therebeneath previously wound on the drum.

Guide plates 54 are provided for keeping the belt properly alignedduring the winding upon the drum. These guide plates 54 may be swungupward about a pivot 55 whenever it is desired to remove a roll ofbelting from the drum 51.

Having thus described my invention, it will be seen that I have provideda method of operation by which double or two-ply belt.- ing may bemanufactured as a continuous operation, and furthermore that I haveprovided a method by which water-proof belting may be manufactured as acontinuous operation and with the use of softened celluloid as thecementing material.

The matter of joining the layers together under tension has been foundto be of very great practical importance as regards stretchsubject tostretch than a belt cemented without tension.

In the manufacture of high grade two-ply leather belting, it isdesirable to preserve the full thickness of thehide in each layer and asthis. thickness varies substantially in different skins, it is necessaryto match the two layers as they are built up, so that at each point inthe belt the combined thickness of the two layers may be keptsubstantially uniform. It is customary to place marks onthe layers atfrequent intervals as they are matched up, and by slightly varying thetension on the layers the operator of my improved machine is able tokeep these marks together as-the layers are cemented, thus producing asubstantially uniform belt thickness from hides varying considerably inthickness.

lVhile I have described a diagrammatic form of machine adapted to carryout my improved method of process the method is not dependent upon theuse of a particular machine and may be carried out in other machines ormanually if so desired. It is essential, however, in order to obtain thebest results, that the belt layers be under substantial tension duringthe cementing operation, and that pressure be promptly applied to thebelt after the cementing material is'inserted between the layers andwhile the belt is still under tension.

While I have described the use of softened celluloid as the cementingmaterial, many of the advantages of my invention may be attained withother forms of cementing material.

Having thus described my improved method and an illustrative machine forpracticing the same, I do not wish to be limited to the details of themachine or otherwise,

claim is 1. The method of making double belt which consists intensioning two single-ply belt layers, providing cementing material forthe tensioned belt layers, assembling said layers and thereafterapplying pressure to the assembled and cemented belt layers beyond thepoint of assembling and while still under tension.

2. The method of making double belt which consists in tensioning twosingle-ply belt layers, providing cementing material for the tensionedbelt layers, assembling said layers and thereafter applying pressure tothe assembled and cemented belt-layers beyond the point of assemblingand while still under tension and as a continuous operation.

3. The method of making double belt which consists in tensioning twosingle-ply belt layers, providing cementing material for the tensionedbelt layers, assembling said layers and material applying additional edbelt at a point beyond and remote from the point of assembling, andapplying yielding pressure to said belt at a plurality of points layersand material, applying pressure to the assembled and cemented belt whilestill under tension, and applying additional pressure to the ed eportions only of the assembled belt.

5. The method of making double beltwhich consists in tensioning twosingle-ply belt layers, providing cementing material for the tensionedbelt layers, assembling said layers and material, applying pressure tothe assembled and cemented belt while still under tension, andvaryingthe relative tension upon thetwo single-ply belt layers to control therelative feed of said belt layers.

6. The method of making double belts which consists in tensioning twosingle-ply belt layers, feeding a cementing strip between the tensionedbelt la ers, assembling said layers and strip and t ereafter applyingpressure to the assembled and cemented belt layers beyond the point ofassembling and while still under tension.

' 7. The method of making double belts which-consists in tensioning twosingle-ply belt layers, feeding a strip of softened cellulose materialunder tension between said tensioned belt layers, assembling said layersand strip and thereafter applying pressure to the assembled and cementedbelt layers beyond the point of assembling and while still under tensionand as a continuous operation.

8. The method of making waterproof double belt which consists intensioning two single ply belt layers, softening a strip of cellulosematerial by the action of a solvent and inserting same after. thesoftening between the tensioned belt layers, assembling said layers andstrip and applying pressure to the assembled belt layers and cellulosematerial beyond the point of assembling and while still under tension,all as a continuousoperation.

9. The method of making water proof double belt which consists intensioning two single ply .belt layers, softening a continuous strip ofcellulose material b the action of a solvent and inserting same betweenthe tenstrip and applying'continuous rolling pressure to the assembledbelt layers and cellu lose material beyond the point of assembling andwhile still under tension.

10. The method of making double belts between the tensioned belt layersand assembling the layers at the pointof insertion of a rolling pressureto the assembled belt at points beyond the point of assembling andapplying additional pressure and additional tension to said belt beyondthe points ofapplication of rollin pressure.

11 The metho of making double belts WhlCh consists in tensioning twosingle ply belt layers, inserting a cementing material between thetensioned belt'layers and assembling the layers at the pointof insertionof the cementing material, thereafter applying a rolling pressure to theassembled belt at points beyond the point of assembling, and applyingadditional pressure to'the edge portions only of the. assembled belt.

12. The method of making double belts which consists in tensioning twosingle ply belt layers, inserting a cementing material between thetensioned belt layers and assembling the layers at the point ofinsertion of the cementing material, and thereafter applyingasemi-positive tension followed by a rolling pressure to said assembledbelt beyond the point of assembling. H

13. The method of making waterproof double belts which consists intensioning two single-ply belt layers, inserting and assemblingtherebetween a layer of cellulose cementing material, and applyingpressure to the assembled belt layers and cementing material beyond thepoint of assembly and while still under tension, all as a continuousoperation.

14. The method of making waterproof double belts which consists intensioning two single-ply belt layers, inserting and assemblingtherebetween a continuous layer of cellulose cementing material, andapplying continuous rolling pressure to the assembled belt layers andcementing material beyondthe point of assembly and while still undertension.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

' WINFRED S. GRIFFITH.

sioned belt layers, assembling said layers and the cementing material,thereafter applying

